Kevin Conlon
President, Conlon Public Strategies
Strategic Planning, Board Development, Public Affairs, and Advocacy
Kevin Conlon offers clients a unique understanding of the public arena derived from over 30 years of experience in law, government, venture capital, and nonprofit organizations. His background and relationships give him an exceptional ability to assist clients at all levels of government and in the business, civic, and nonprofit communities.
As president of Conlon Public Strategies, Kevin has advanced the good work of more than 300 businesses and nonprofits, assisting them in the pursuit of growth and opportunity. He and the other members of the firm leverage shared values, unparalleled relationships, and collective wisdom to address the challenges of effective social enterprise, innovation, positioning, and strategy.
Kevin’s extensive experience in the political area gives him a unique ability to help clients build relationships in the public sector, as well as to successfully use a campaign approach to achieve their goals in areas ranging from fundraising to policy change. He has played leadership roles in numerous political campaigns at the national, state, and local levels, including all recent presidential campaigns. The Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association selected Kevin as the recipient of its first annual Party Builder Award in 2017 based on these contributions. He has also served in elected office and appointed positions in federal, state, and local government.
Active in the community throughout his career, Kevin has important insights into the civic, nonprofit, and corporate landscapes, as well as relationships with leaders in all of these areas. He is past president of the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago; a standing member of the Economic Club of Chicago; a member of the Leadership Circle for Loyola University of Chicago’s Baumhart Center; chair of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association Leadership Circle; a member of the board of directors for Equip for Equality, National Public Housing Museum, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation; and a member of the advisory committee for the Illinois Connection/University of Illinois Alumni Association.
Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, a master’s degree from the University of Illinois, and a J.D. from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. He has taught classes at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Studies, Chicago-Kent School of Law (Illinois Institute of Technology), and DePaul University.
